Magalong rates Sebastian’s credibility: 6 out of 10

Witness Jaybee Sebastian testifies during the Congressional hearing and inquiry on illegal drug trade in National Bilibid Prison, October 10, 2016.INQUIRER PHOTO / NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

Philippine National Police (PNP) deputy chief for operations Director Benjamin Magalong on Monday said the testimony of convicted kidnapper Jaybee Sebastian corroborated some of the police findings into the drug trade at the New Bilibid Prison.

During the last day of the House of Representatives inquiry into the proliferation of drugs at the Bilibid, Magalong said he would rate at six out of ten Sebastian’s credibility in his testimony before the congressional panel.

“Karamihan ng nabanggit ni Mr. Sebastian corroborates many of our findings and our conclusions,” Magalong said.

(Most of what Mr. Sebastian mentioned corroborates many of our findings and our conclusions.)

READ: House committee holds executive session on Bilibid drug trade

Magalong said he was surprised De Lima visited Sebastian in his kubol, especially because he saw De Lima being shocked and angered when he informed her during a meeting about the lavish quarters of alleged drug lords inside Bilibid.

“Dun ako nagulat. May pagkakataon kasi nung nabanggit ko sa kaniya, ‘Ma’am, itong pictures ng mga kubol,’ nagulat po siya. I’m trying to piece things together. Nagtataka ako kung napuntahan niya 2011, 2012, dapat alam na niya mga structures sa loob. Nagtataka ako ngayon bakit binanggit niya sa akin na parang nagulat,” Magalong said.

(I was surprised. There was an instance where I mentioned to her, “Ma’am, these are the pictures of the lavish quarters,” she was surprised. I’m trying to piece things together. I’m wondering if she went there 2011, 2012, she should have know about those structures inside. I’m puzzled as to why she acted surprised.)

“Nagkukunyare ba siya? Hindi ko alam talaga. In-e-evaluate ko pa talaga ‘yung kaniyang reaksyon,” he added.

(Was she pretending? I really don’t know. I’m still evaluating her reaction.)

Bilibid inmates alleged that Senator Leila De Lima when she was justice secretary protected Sebastian in order to operate the drug trade there to allegedly raise campaign funds for her.

Sebastian admitted raising P10 million campaign funds for De Lima by operating the sale of shabu from inside the Bilibid. He also called De Lima as his protector in the illegal drug trade.

READ: Sebastian denies being De Lima’s ‘favored’ drug lord | Sebastian: De Lima was my protector in Bilibid drug trade

Earlier, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre said that the National Bureau of Investigation raid led by De Lima without the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in December 2014 was intended to pull out 19 high-profile inmates alleged to be Sebastian’s competitors in the drug trade.

It was Magalong who earlier testified about the botched Oplan Cronus, which was sidelined by the “Oplan Galugad” that was led by De Lima on Dec. 2014.

The Oplan, crafted by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group under the helm of Magalong, was aborted when it was not given the go-signal by then justice secretary De Lima, who instead led a National Bureau of Investigation raid that exposed the lavish quarters of drug lords inside Bilibid last Dec. 2014.

Sebastian was spared in the December 2014 raid.

READ: Bucayu pins blame on De Lima for aborted ‘Oplan Cronus’ | Bucayu says he feared for his life in blocking ‘Oplan Cronus’

However, then Bureau of Corrections director Franklin Bucayu earlier testified that Sebastian was spared in the December raid upon the consensus among the BuCor, De Lima, the National Bureau of Investigation, and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission.

Bucayu said this was to prevent a “vacuum of leadership” to prevent a riot at the Bilibid. He said Sebastian was left behind temporarily to maintain peace in the Bilibid as a more manageable and cooperative gang leader.

De Lima had also said Sebastian was a government asset in the raid. Sebastian denied being a government asset. JE/rga

READ: Sebastian spared from raid so gangs won’t lose titular head, says Bucayu

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